With her slender , gymnastic look and distinctive ticked coating , the Abyssinian is a visually striking , loyal family summation .
Ancient . Enigmatic . Athletic . The word you ’re look for is " Abyssinian . " Currently one of themost democratic cat breedsin the man , the Abyssinian , or " Aby " for short , is also one of the oldest , with origins shrouded in secret .
Lithe , strap , and deep curious , Abys are beloved by owners for their almost dog - alike desire to socialize andfollow their people around the house . They ’re consecrate with high intelligence and what seems like a motor that run almost nonstop , making them natural adventurer .
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Appearance
The Abyssinian coating is her most spectacular feature , with its nuanced , complex ticking , which is a transmissible edition of the tabby cat design . Her dense , close - lying pelt start out lighter - colored at her body , then surrogate between bands of lighter and dark shades out to the tip of her butt . A warm , ruby - dark-brown base with dark tick is the breed ’s original color , but grayish brown is not rare .
outdoors of her beautiful coloration , the Aby ’s next most striking feature is her ears , which are prominent relative to her body , forth - lining , and well cupped . They sit atop a wedge - shaped head above bombastic , alert , almond eyes .
An Aby ’s body is farseeing and lissom , giving her a specially flowing and elegant feeling . Her paw are small , and the Aby ’s lifelike position makes her seem to be suffer on her tip - toe . Her tail taper and is almost as long as her body .
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Temperament
Abyssinian are improbably smart and curious , says Alison Gerken , DVM atFlorida Veterinary Behavior Service . This prepare them natural explorers , and you’re able to look to find your Aby in every corner of your home , on every possible aerofoil , regardless of accessibility .
" They are very amusing but also need a hatful of amusement , " Gerken says " They are very athletic and love to climb , jump , run , leap , and search . They can be challenging big cat for favourite parent who are seeking a mellow , snuggly , and put - back CT or who are out of the home plate for long periods of time . "
They are also celebrated for their societal ability , and Abys enjoy spirited playtime with their mass . Gerken says they are a breed that is always on the move , so do n’t expect a circle of lap - metre from them , butdoexpect to have your every move conform to and follow . Abyssinians are also keenly observant , so any treats or toy you hole-and-corner away are apt to be fall upon .
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A strong companion cat , if not always a lap one , Abys enjoy the society of their human companion and will oftenconverse with them in soft , pleasant churrups , rather than something kin to the traditional meow .
Living Needs
An Abyssinian is a cat who love to get around and explore , and she is absolutely going to essay and find her way up onto high shelves and vantage points . Multi - level cat trees , cat shelf , orscratching postsare greatly revalue , as they ’ll give your Abyssinian sizable chance to climb . If you have a enceinte window and an easy perch for her to sit on , she ’ll relish learn ( and chat at ! ) the neighbourhood birds throughout the mean solar day .
Toys ( and lots of them!)are also a must - have for an Abyssinian . These playful and smart kitty can become world-weary of the same old , same onetime . " They should be provided with a large miscellany of dissimilar types of toys — including plaything that have feathers , toy that flutter , toys that bounce , toys fill with catnip , mechanically skillful toys , and toy dog on strings — that are regularly rotated to allow novelty , " Gerken says . They ’re also able-bodied to think about themselves for lengthy periods of time with something as dewy-eyed as a bottle cap or objet d’art of roll - up paper .
Abys do well in households with other animals , thanks to their of course social temperament . But , Gerken says , " they often do not like to be picked up , cuddled , held , or restrained . " If you have small kiddos at home , make certain they knowhow to properly interact with cats(no squeezing or tush - grabbing ! ) .
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Care
Abyssinians do n’t tend to be Brobdingnagian shedders outside of their regular desquamation seasons , sodaily groomingshould be relatively aboveboard . Weekly brushingis all they ’re belike going to need . Like all cats , an Abyssinian also needsaccess to fresh waterand food , aclean litter box , and herclaws kept neatly trimmed .
And do n’t forget to care for their brains as well as their physical structure ; because Abyssinians are so impertinent , keeping them mentally stimulated is a vital part of keeping them level-headed .
" favourite parents must supply a smashing deal of mental stimulation and enrichment to meet their need and keep the development of behavior problems that may stanch from boredom , frustration , and under - enrichment , " Gerken says . " They are cats who should attend kitten socialization classes when they are young andundergo training to learn cognitive skillsthat will keep them mentally engaged throughout their lives . "
Gerken recommends yield your Abyssinianchallenging food puzzles , or even hiding food around the house so they can search for it . Abys can also betrained to walk on a harnessso they can safely explore the outside world .
Health
One of the thing that makes the Abyssinian such a democratic stock is her relative healthiness . But there are still some experimental condition pet parent require to watch out for , Gerken says , include :
Abys are also prostrate to gingivitis , which can head to periodontal disease and tooth loss if not monitor . you could get into the habit ofbrushing your computed tomography ’s teethyourself ( if your computed tomography will let you ; Abyssinians notoriously do n’t like to be handled ) .
" You ’re unquestionably going to have to take up when they ’re untried , " read Michelle Beck , DVM , CCRT , CVA , of theBacklund Animal Clinicin Omaha , Neb. " But honestly , it ’s still probably not go to encounter . I have two CAT and while brush their teeth is a great idea , it ’s very difficult . Their mouth are very small ; they ’re go to hate being arrest like that . steady veterinary sojourn andprofessional dental cleaningsat least once a year is a safer agency to go . "
History
Though the Abyssinian is one of the oldest known breed , their exact stemma have always carried an air travel of enigma . For a figure of years , according to theAbyssinian Cat Club , it was popularly take they originated along the Nile river basin , and it ’s easy to see why : One feeling at an Aby in a seated placement is enough to see the easy parallels between the stock and the statues and delineation of cats in ancient Egypt . However , more recent genetic studies have show an line for their origin to be Southeast Asia and the seashore of the Indian Ocean .
The old extant exercise of the hombre that would become known as the Abyssinian is from the Leiden Zoological Museum in Holland , which has a taxidermied example that was purchase for the museum around 1834 . That specimen is labeled " Patrie , domestica India " , giving further credence to the hombre ’s Southeast Asiatic origins .
The name " Abyssinian " comes from Abyssinia ( forward-looking - day Ethiopia ) , from whence the cats who gave birth to the breed were bring to England after the Abyssinian War in the 1860s , according to the breed baseball club . Those first quat feature the trademark ticked pelage but were otherwise markedly different from today ’s Abys , with stockier body and shorter ears . Once they were finalise in the U.K. , cross - breeding with local cats eventually gave birth to the Abyssinian cat we recognize and sleep with today .
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Fun Facts
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